30 November 2011

A bumiputera entrepreneur company had spent almost RM300,000 when it laid the groundwork for the idea of a meat and livestock industry to the government, but was not called for tender when it came up for implementation, which was subsequently granted to the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC).

Revealing this today, PKR secretary- general Saifuddin Nasution said this debunked the claim by the government that NFC was the only company that was willing to do the project.

“The tender granted to NFC was not transparent because the original company that mooted the idea was not called to participate in the tender.

“Simply put it, the idea was stolen, and worse still, it used the rakyat’s money,” he said during a press conference at the Parliament lobby today. Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Noh Omar had earlier said that an open tender was called but no company was willing to take up the challenge as they lacked experience.

NFC executive chairperson Mohamad Salleh Ismail had admitted that it, too, lacked experience but was learning from the project.

Company’s plan did not require gov’t funds

Speaking at the Parliament lobby this afternoon, Saifuddin presented copies of correspondence between the company and several agencies as evidence, adding that they were close to signing a memorandum of understanding with Mardi.

The name of the company in the letters, however, was blacked out.

“They had discussions up to the Agriculture Ministry, Mardi and the Negeri Sembilan state government... They also sought the cooperation from professor Jerry J Reeves who is a livestock expert from Washington State university in the US,” he said.

Declining to reveal the company’s name, Saifuddin however said that the company’s initial plan would not have required financial aid from the government as opposed to the RM250 million soft loan granted to NFC.

“All they needed was to rent farm land for them in Negri Sembilan.

“They had proposed to use a technology to breed the cows locally through a process using artificial insemination using the sperm and embryo of Wagyu cows. This process is expected to be cheaper in devleoping satellite cattle farms and developing small cattle entrepreneurs compared to the method of importing cows to be fed at feedlot as is done by NFC.”

While acknowledging that this decision was made during the tenure of former prime minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, Saifuddin said current Prime Minister Najib Abdul Razak must still answer for this.

“Najib had chaired the cabinet committee for high-impact projects and therefore was involved in giving some of the approvals that are related to the project,” he said.

After the 'cows and condos' fiasco, PKR today dropped another bombshell on the National Feedlot Corporation (NFC), claiming that it had squandered a portion of the RM250 million government loan on land, luxury cars and overseas trips.

PKR strategic director Rafizi Ramli (right) today said the company's financial documents had showed that NFC had transferred RM3,363,507 to its sister company National Meat and Livestock Corporation (NMLC) to purchase two plots of land in Putrajaya in December 2009.

"It is highly unlikely that the land bought in Putrajaya are intended for raring cows," quipped Rafizi, in reference to the two plots which are identified as PT1886 and PT1887.

The purchase through NMLC, Rafizi adds, is the same modus operandi adopted in the purchase of two luxury condominiums in Bangsar at RM6.9 million each and the company, unlike NFC, is wholly owned by Women, Family and Community Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil’s family.

He further revealed that through the same means, the company had purchased a luxury car Mercedes Benz CLS 350 CGI at RM534,622 on top of a monthly RM20,000 maintenance cost for the vehicle which is directly paid from NFC's account.

‘Gov’t has no control over NMLC’

PKR secretary-general Saifuddin Nasution, who was also present, said the government had no oversight over NMLC.

“NMLC is a private company. In NFC, the Finance Ministry has a golden share, so if anything happens the government can come in and there are also board members from the government, but NMLC is 100 percent owned and managed by them (Shahrizat’s family).”

Saifuddin added that he had earlier met with contractors hired for NFC who were not paid and were forced to sue the company.

“This is just tens of thousands, they cannot pay, but luxury cars worth half a million, they can pay,” he said, adding that the parcels of land purchased in Precinct 10 were in an area where many embassies were located.

Rafizi also revealed that a CIMB Islamic Bank Berhad account (141640000066107) registered under NFC had paid a total of RM455,423 via 15 cheques to Impian Global Network Services (IGNS) between January and July.

“When we investigated, we found that this company offers tour packages,” he said while showing a printout of the company’s website which offers trips to Bandung, Singapore and Bali.

The claim was backed by the dates, amounts and numbers of the cheques made to the company, with the largest single amount at RM120,521.‘Don’t drag BN into personal scandal’

Rafizi also shot down Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin’s defence of NFC when PKR first claimed that the beef from NFC was only sold to Meatworks in Singapore.

“Khairy said we lied because trade with Singapore is banned. So if we cannot sell beef to Singapore, then why is it that on July 12, NFC transferred RM588,585 by telegraphic transfer directly to the account of Meatworks (Singapore) Pte Ltd?”

Acknowledging Shahrizat’s fiery speech at the Umno general assembly today, Rafizi insisted that she must explain these claims.

“She has to explain one by one all that has been exposed, if not to the rakyat then at least to Umno delegates because they, too, are the rakyat.”

He added that is Shahrizat continues to drag BN and Umno into her personal scandal it will spiral out of control.

Shahrizat, whose husband, Mohamad Salleh Ismail is executive chairperson of NFC, has repeatedly denied any involvement in the controversy.

Members of the Bar Council and supporters are marching to Parliament House from the Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur, to protest the Peaceful Assembly Bill which is expected to be voted on tonight in the Dewan Rakyat.

Describing the draft law as legislation that would rob the rakyat off their constitutional right, Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee has vowed that lawyers cannot watch it enter the statute books without standing up to it.

The crowd exceeding 1,000 began the two-kilometre 'Walk for Freedom' at 12.19pm to submit a memorandum opposing the law.

Action is expected in front of Parliament House as activists have called on the public to gather there for three consecutive days, with effect from 11am in an 'Occupy Parliament' move.

The group - the KL People's Assembly - has been behind the 'Occupy Dataran' movement.

LIVE REPORTS

10.05am: About 40 police personnel, including 10 light strike force officers, are standing by in front of the entrance to Parliament House.

10.38am: Reporters have gathered in front of Royal Lake Club in the Lake Gardens. Several lawyers are in sight.

There is no police presence here, although about 10 were seen earlier at the National Monument, across the street.

10.45am: A member of the Bar Council secretariat tells reporters that the gathering has been shifted to the junction of the road leading to the Royal Lake Club approximately 300m away.

10.56am: Several police patrol cars pass by, but do not stop. The crowd has grown to about 80.

11am: Former Bar Council president Ambiga Sreenevasan arrives.

11.01am: Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee says he is "feeling good" and that he will address the crowd at 11.30am. The march will begin at 12.30pm.

11.03am: More than 100 people are present - the lawyers are wearing suits and many of the supporters are in yellow.

11:05am: A traffic police officer arrives to regulate traffic.

11.10am: Ambiga tells reporters: "I hope the government will look into the Bill. There is no need to rush it."

11.23am: The crowd has grown close to 200. Lawyer and Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng and Suaram head Kua Kia Soong are present, as are several anti-Lynas activists.

11:29am: Yellow banners are being held up, some of which read: 'Kill the Bill' and 'Bebas Himpun, Bebas Rakyat'.

11.31am: Lim Chee Wee introduces the first speaker to the crowd of about 300.

11.35am: Bar Council constitutional committee head Syahrezan Johan (left) tells them: This walk today is not about politics, it about the unholy haste (in which) they (government) are pushing it through to limit our constitutional right.

Syahrezan says that that, if the Bill is passed, its provisions "will be abused".

He lists situations where people cannot gather, each of which draws boos from the crowd.

"Do you know that we cannot gather at the Bar Council HQ because it is 50m from a bridge?

"We have drafted a far superior alternative Bill and it only took three days. And we ask the government to consider this because it gives meaning to PM's Malaysia Day speech."

11.47am: Members of the Human Rights Commission are seen, observing the gathering.

At Parliament House, meanwhile, police have set up a roadblock at the entrance, in readiness for the demonstrators.

11.52am: At the Lake Gardens, the organisers direct the crowd to move further in, as they are spilling onto the road.

11.56am: At Parliament House, the DAP's Sibu MP Wong Ho Leng shows up at the entrance to await the demonstrators.

"How can the Bill be passed? Insane!" he remarks to reporters, explaining that he is there to take some of the demonstrators inside.

He says each MP can take five people into the premises.

11.59am: Bar Council Secretary Tony Woon Yeow Thong tells the crowd at the Lake Gardens that the government has gone back on its word. During consultations, it had told the Bar Council that it would live up to international standards of human rights.

12.07pm: Former Bar Council Yeo Yang Poh who led the team that drafted the alternative Peaceful Assembly Act addresses the crowd.

"We (drafted the alternative Bill) not because it needed tweaking but (because) its fundamentals are wrong. If this law had been passed by the British in the 1940s and 1950s, we would not have attained independence."

12.15pm: A group of youngsters clad in black are seen loitering on the fringes of the crowd. Asked for their purpose, they decline to comment beyond stating: "We are defenders of YBs."

12.19pm: The crowd begins moving out of the park - the march to Parliament House has started.

12.26pm: A group who claims to be a coalition of Malay NGOs are already at the bridge leading to Parliament. They are chanting "We are against free sex!". One is overheard saying "Go back to India", which does not go down well with Indian Malaysians who hear it.

12.35pm: The Bar Council crowd follows orders to keep off the road and not obstruct traffic. Lim Chee Wee and nine other Bar Council leaders are allowed into the Parliament compound to hand over their protest note.

12.45pm: Both the Bar Council's group and Malay NGOs have reached the bridge that connects to the entrance of Parliament.

They are unable to proceed to Parliament's gates and are on opposite sides of the road.

The Bar Council crowd is chanting: "Bebas, bebas! Bebas himpun!"

The opposing crowd retorts with: "Kami tentang seks bebas!"

12.50pm: NGOs' representative Zulkifli Sharif tells the press that they are a coalition of Malay groups who here to hold a counter-rally and accused the Bar Council of having a political agenda.

"We saw the Bar Council group holding placards which was promoting free sex," he said.

He said the coalition represents several NGOs, including Majlis Ayahanda Malaysia and Persetuan Veteran Tentera Melayu.

This group later unfurled a banner mocking the Seksualiti Merdeka event, whichcame under fire from the authorities who claimed that it was promoting homosexuality.

The Seksualiti Merdeka event was meant to address the rights of the queer community and the Bar Council defended their right to do so.

Those holding the banner repeatedly asked the press not to photograph their faces.

12.50pm: The Bar Council delegation has reached the Parliament lobby and are addressing the press.

12.55pm: The Malay NGOs, now numbering at about 100, sets fire to a yellow t-shirt. Police quickly intervene.

28 November 2011

Dr Mahathir Mohamad said today that the government must adapt to the changing environment and respond to an electorate that is increasingly intelligent.

"Today in this age, we are dealing with a very clever opposition. They are willing to question you, if they are not happy with what you do."

He joked that it was much more convenient for the people to be "slightly less intelligent" as they would not question the government but the reality is that intelligent people are required for the people's development.

"So we give a lot of scholarship and build universities... You can imagine there are hardly any idiots left in Malaysia, this gives the government a headache.

He added that while absolute freedom will create problems, the government must still react to such demands and determine the appropriate level of freedom for the people.

"Information technology is a headache for everyone. Fortunately during my time they were not so sophisticated but the present government faces not so much from the newspapers and television but it is the alternative media that is the problem."Meanwhile,the Bar Council president Lim Chee Wee's view on Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 doesn't represent the views of the people, said de facto Law Minister Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz.

“The government is (formed) by representatives of the people. BN has 140 members of Parliament and there are some Independents who support us.“I urge Lim to register the Bar Council as a political party and become the first to challenge me in Padang Rengas in the next general election,” said Nazri.

Lim had suggested that the PSC hold public hearings to source for feedback on the Bill and criticised the government for its “unholy haste” to pass the law.

More recently, the Deputy Sports Minister Razali Ibrahim blamed opposition leaders for the bad reception given Malaysian teams by Indonesian sports fans at the ongoing SEA Games in Jakarta."Why is it that they reserve such hatred for us? Why not Thailand? Why not others? It is not because of the perceived maltreatment of Indonesians locally.

The National Feedlot Corporation (NFC) was able to withdrawn its RM250 million soft loan from the government even before a contract with the government was signed.

“In this case, the money was disbursed in 2009 into a special account which needs the (relevant) ministry’s approval, to be withdrawn for the company’s operations.

“But only after the money was disbursed (in 2009) was the contract signed a year later in 2010,” Azmi told reporters.

Most of us at one time or another had to stand in a queue at banks or financial institutions for a loan to buy cars or houses. Unless the paper work is completed, the loan agreement signed and duly stamped, even a copper coin will not be disbursed.

Besides, the loan agreement comes with all kinds of stipulations which we have to adhere to. We don’t even see the money as it is sent directly to the developer, his solicitors or the motor company.

Therefore, the revelation by the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that millions were disbursed for the National Feedlot Centre project before the agreement was signed is an alarming and frightening disclosure indeed. It is a reflection of the malaise that has afflicted the country’s administration system.

PAC chairman Datuk Seri Azmi Khalid said,“The government should not go on like this ... year after year the PAC has been hearing the same problems and excuses being given at all levels and all agencies of government,” he told the posse of journalists at a press conference.

From funnelling licence fees to sports clubs’ accounts, and extravagant and non-beneficial projects to lawatan sambil belajar and the misuse of public funds, they have all been published in the pages of this newspaper. What action was taken against the infamous Zakaria Mat Deros and his illegal istana on land meant for low-cost housing in Port Klang?

He never even bothered to submit building plans, misused his authority and ordered the destruction of a hawker stall so that his son’s unlicensed satay stall would have no competition, and attempted to make the Klang Municipal Council his family domain.

Instead of taking stern action, he was given a slap on the wrist (a fine of RM25,000, which was less then what the sinks and matching toilet bowls in the palace’s 21 bathrooms would have cost).

The powers-that-be even pronounced that “he is a good leader and we need his services”. And after he was charged with offences under the Companies Act, the charges were mysteriously withdrawn. These are microcosms of a system that the people have been used to.

Such an indifferent attitude has allowed the system and the culture that comes with it to flourish to the extent that no one is afraid of the repercussions for wrongdoing. Many believed and still believe they enjoy the protection of patrons and godfathers who can bail them out of tricky situations. How else would they have the gumption and audacity to disregard rules and regulations and even the law?

Would such action be not against the General Orders by which all serving officers are governed? What happens if, in his defence, the officer says: Saya hanya ikut perintah dari pihak atasan (I was merely taking orders from higher up)? Will they be fingered or will the matter be hushed up?

The annals of the auditor-general have not only narrated weak management but also the blatant misuse of money, corruption, sleaze and fraud. The Hansard also has records of similar issues raised in the august house.

From the archives of newspaper companies, there are even more reports. Although the miscreants were exposed, sorry to say, they have been allowed to continue with their shenanigans unabated.

Will the PAC come out of its shell with a “name and shame” policy so that the rakyat can identify and treat the wrongdoers like lepers of our society? Or will it be business as usual after two weeks as we forget about the failings of the system and await next year’s AG’s report to jolt us into action, yet again, albeit, for a short period of time? Your guess is as good as mine. - R. Nadeswaran a.k.a Citizen Nades

Having drilled down the message that this will be last congress before general election, PKR de facto leader Anwar Ibrahim while capping off the Johor event, warned delegates of enemies within.

Recalling previous defections, Anwar called on delegates to not only sniff out “potential turncoats and kick them out” as the party pulls up its socks to face what he paints as the “defining battle” of Malaysian political history.

Citing a hadith from the Prophet Muhammad, Anwar said even the prophet had no forgiveness for those who betrayed the cause. Apologising for choosing either “under-qualified” or simply the wrong people as candidates in 2008, Anwar echoed party president Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail's policy speech in saying that this time, the party vows to get it right.

Warnings also abound for incumbent representatives, telling them not to expect a coveted “creed” from the president if they have underperformed, abused their power, or left “people waiting for hours in their office”.

“Three years and not a word in Parliament other than blasting others,” he said, dropping hints of who among PKR parliamentarians may need to start looking for another job.

After all, Anwar admits, the stakes are higher this time; and correspondingly, so is PKR's strength. “Faced with corruption in and rigging, (Pakatan Rakyat) won over five states and Kuala Lumpur and now we are twice as strong compared to in 2008. “Believe me, our preparations this time are far better than in 2008,” he said to a a full house, despite two long days of congress.

Betrayal, observed PKR secretary general Saifuddin Nasution (left) meanwhile, comes not only from those who have defected but also those elected due to the hard work of the party workers, but were absent from the congress.

“Could they not have spared three days of 365 days in a year to attend the congress? Rubber tappers from Padang Terap are here...what are (the absentees') excuse?

“No one becomes a YB, or an exco without the help of the party...we will not tolerate these opportunists,” he said in his cutting winding up speech, to hoots.

The election focus was obvious throughout the congress, with Saifuddin often repeating that the host state was chosen because PKR is confident they can break into the Umno bastion.'We can clean up Johor in two years'

Recalling a ceramah he gave to 30 people in Muar six years ago, Saifuddin said that the fact that hundreds filled the streets all over Johor to hear Anwar speak over the past few days is more than encouraging.

While delegates lapped up the talk of turning an Umno stronghold (kubu) into its grave (kubur), there was little said over how a Pakatan government can be different to BN in the state of Johor.

The only speakers who touched on Johor specific issues were Johor chief Dr Chua Jui Meng and Selangor MB Abdul Khalid Ibrahim. Abdul Khalid (right), ever popular with delegates and a much improved orator since contesting the Ijok seat, joined the bandwagon to promote his government's policies in his winding up speech.

“We can go to Johor and tell the people that the reform will be continued there. Governance in Selangor far exceeds that in Johor.

“In Johor, they cannot even calculate the price of water that we have to help. I checked this, they do not audit their water assets,” he said.

He added that using Pakatan state governance model, the Johor administration can be “cleaned up” within two years.

Bullish on winning Johor, PKR however refused to answer any queries on potential Menteri Besar candidates, toeing the line just as DAP state chief Dr Boo Cheng Hau in a press statement warns against “counting chickens before they hatch”.

Filling the gap in the Johor focus was much talk about the road to Putrajaya, with debates focusing on policies for education, good governance and the civil service.

'Cheating needed for only 3% of votes'

Nitty gritties of winning an election were also discussed at length by former elections director and now vice president Fuziah Salleh who warned that all BN needs is a three percent swing to wrest Pakatan-held seats.

“Elections is not about emotions or rhetoric or how angry people are with BN. It is about numbers,” she said in her sobering winding up speech.

“They only need to cheat on three percent of the votes. A little in postal votes, a little from foreigners, move some voters to different districts.

“Set up a committee to go through the roll, set up an IT team, and when you find discrepancies, set up a media team and expose it.”

But is all the talk of winning Putrajaya merely to put Anwar in the Prime Minister seat? Twelve years after its founding, adoration for Anwar by PKR members is only slightly short of idolatry, with deputy president Azmin Ali declaring him an “institution” and “saviour” of the people.

All the same, lengthy stirring winding up speeches about the sacrifices of ordinary members and supporters appear to be an attempt to redirect focus and to show that PKR is not a party for one man.

From the old woman who planted RM1 into Wan Azizah's hand as a donation to the party, to delegate Zaiton Samad who regaled the congress with her tales of bravery in defending her land from the authorities, delegates went home believing in a cause that went beyond taking over power.

As chief of strategy Rafizi Ramli (left) put it: “We are on the cusp of history. There has never been a political coalition at the brink of change. Don't waste the prayers, hopes of the rakyat.

“Believe in fate - if it is to happen, it will. The place of PKR in Malaysia is to be the political party to end Umno-BN's rule. Trust that this is our place in history.”

Whether this sense of calling is enough motivation for the machinery to focus less on Umno-bashing and more on laying the groundwork for the next election, will only be seen after the 13th general election is called.

Perhaps Prime Minister Najib Razak has achieved all that he ever desired in life. It will be sad, very sad - indeed tragic - for him not to do well in the next general election.

For Anwar Ibrahim, this maybe his last chance, and also his best opportunity, to make real headway; there has never been a more favourable political situation for the opposition than now.

This opportunity may not come again for a long time if Pakatan Rakyat fails to seize it. He either makes it this time around or fades into history.

As for Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, he has always wanted to be PM, and his mentor Tunku Abdul Rahman, had fervently wanted him to lead the country one day. Poor man, he just missed it in 1987. However, for as long as he breathes, there is hope. Indeed, if you dream long enough, it may come true.

In the forthcoming crucial, toughest and dirtiest electoral war, there are three probable scenarios:

a) First, if BN is re-elected with a big majority, Najib may become PM for a long time. It would be incredible considering that his great father, Abdul Razak, died young in office; just two years after winning his personal mandate in 1974.

I think, at this point in time, and all being well, Najib should win. The question is - how big the majority. If he wins big, Najib will form a cabinet which, though in essence reflects Malaysian political realities, will consist many of his own people - his loyalists.

However, I fervently hope he will hand pick a few talents to help him reform and transform the nation, consistent with the changing times.

b) Secondly, in the event, not unlikely, Najib just scrapes through marginally, he will be forced like Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, to step down... albeit, like his predecessor, with rich rewards.

Presumably, Deputy Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin will step in and fill the cabinet with his cronies, who will determine the direction of the new government, like I am ‘Malay first, Malaysian second’, ‘Bahasa Melayu first and English, a distant second’.

c) Thirdly, not impossible though a bit far-fetched, a political tsunami occurs. Then Anwar, in prison or another opposition leader, PAS’ Abdul Hadi Awang, becomes PM.

The question is how long Anwar personally and the DAP-PAS-PKR coalition will last? Will it be a repeat of Perak? Worst, PAS forms a new alliance with Umno - it is likely to happen if DAP makes unreasonable demands that PAS politically and constitutionally cannot accept - to establish a Negara Islam or an Islamic theocratic state with syariah and hudud becoming the principal law.

Regaining the people trust

Regardless which coalition - the old, the new or the newer one - forms the government, the challenges and problems are the same: steering the country through tough economic times, rebuilding our educational system, finding and leveraging our competitive edge; plugging leakages, reducing corruption and crime, restoring interracial, religious harmony, trust and confidence.

There is an urgent need to maintain law and order and stringent immigration; raising the standard of living, safety, health and security. Also a serious attempt must be made to narrow the gap between the rich, who are becoming richer, and the poor, who are becoming poorer.

As the civil service or the public sector moves forward, the private sector and corporate world, too, must transform to make it more inclusive otherwise the overall national objectives will never be attained... peacefully!

Regaining the people’s trust in institutions and the private sector is very crucial. Equally imperative, the politician must regain the respect of the rakyat and the voters. Now the level of regard is abysmally low.

There are talks of a hung parliament. I don’t think a hung parliament will happen because there isn’t a credible and serious Third Force in existence.

However, three senior opposition insiders told me that an NGO, which is planning to convert itself into a political vehicle, has offered cooperation to Pakatan Rakyat in return for it to contest in between 10 to 20 constituencies in the next election.

If I were Anwar Ibrahim I will politely decline the offer - he doesn’t need ‘passengers’ now. He should only talk to them post-election and see how many seats they could win on their own. Deliver first, talk later, otherwise they could be an albatross.

In politics, gumption or judgement is important. Wrong timing will be fatal for Najib and the ruling party. I look forward to PRU13, the next general election. I think Najib should win.

He is, after all, Abdul Razak’s son. He should know what to do to keep power. He also knows what would likely happen to his party and himself if he and his party bungled. There is no substitute, I repeat, no substitute to victory.

Seri Perdana a temporary residence

From reading all the political and economic analyses, including those in the new media, I could not see how Najib could be so cheerful, unless, of course, he keeps reading pages and reams of good things which make him feel good.

Whoever commands between 65 to 70 percent of pribumi voters would win. The Chinese and Indian sectors are important contributors - they must be courted though not to the extent of unwisely and politically offending the majority and the still-influential Dr Mahathir Mohamad.

There are only 45 to 50 Chinese-majority seats, 120 to 130 pribumi-majority constituencies, and the rest are delicately balanced mixed constituencies.

Seri Perdana, like the White House and 10 Downing Street, is a temporary residence. Mahathir built it and lived there. So did Abdullah Badawi. And now Najib, living alternately there and his private home.

There will be a PM after Najib. I do hope none ever gets to think that he is going to be forever in power. That will be a good start to begin the New Year. Power corrupts, an allegation usually made by ‘Outs’ against ‘Ins’ to persuade voters that it’s time for a change.

Let me say this - whichever party wins there always exists an interlocking directorate or triumvirate of politicians, money and the unseen hands who shape national policy, no matter who the prime minister is.- Abdullah Ahmad

Pressure opposing the Peaceful Assembly Bill introduced in Parliament on Tuesday continues to mount, with PAS slated to file a judicial review application in an attempt to block Parliament from passing the legislation.

PAS deputy president Mohamad Sabu and lawmakers Dr Mohd Hatta Ramli (Kuala Krai) and Dr Dzulkefly Ahmad (Kuala Selangor) will be plaintiffs in what will be a test case. Mat Sabu said the Peaceful Assembly bill prohibits the right to assemble and hold street demonstrations.

"The reasoning employed by the Barisan Nasional government is illogical as almost every week Umno has a street protest in Penang and yet it does not affect investments in Penang, for it is still tops among the states in Malaysia," Mat Sabu said.

"So why does the government want to limit such rights by imposing 30 days’ notice to hold a peaceful assembly. Even the Myanmar authorities require only five days and are we Malaysians going to be worse than Myanmar, which is known for its dictatorship," he said.

Bersih 2.0 chairperson Ambiga Sreenevasan said the proposed Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 was even more repressive than a similar law passed recently in Burma's military-dominated Parliament.

"It is shameful that Burma can propose a far more democratic law than us.

"It is a terrible insult to Malaysians because we were promised more democracy, but now it is the opposite," said Ambiga, who is a former Bar Council president.

At a press conference in Petaling Jaya, Ambiga said Burma's new law allows street demonstrations and organisers only need to notify the authorities five days in advance.

She said this was in stark contrast to Malaysia's Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011, which proposes banning street demonstrations and imposing a 30-day notice period.

Putting the numbers together, Bersih secretariat member Wong Chin Huat said Burma was six times more democratic than Malaysia.

Commenting on the stiff fines - between RM10,000 and RM20,000 - proposed in the Bill, Wong said that this was an attempt to stop the poor from joining any protests.

“This is to tell the poor please look at your mortgage first before going to rally.”

The Peaceful Assembly Bill 2011 has been widely criticised by human rights groups, including the government funded Human Rights Commission (Suhakam), and Pakatan Rakyat leaders.

It was argued that the Bill seeks to provide the police and the home minister with more powers and banning street demonstrations altogether.

The first round on Dewan Rakyat debates on the Bill will kick off on Tuesday.

source:malaysiakini

Myanmar's military-dominated parliament has passed a bill allowing citizens to protest peacefully, a lawmaker said Thursday -- the latest in a rapid series of reformist moves in the isolated country.

The bill, which needs to be signed off by President Thein Sein to become law, requires that demonstrators "inform the authorities five days in advance," said upper house member Aye Maung, of the Rakhine Nationalities Development Party.

Protesters would be allowed to hold flags and party symbols but must avoid government buildings, schools, hospitals and embassies, he told AFP.Continue reading here.

25 November 2011

While Sabah political parties differed in their proposals to improve the electoral system, they were united in their complaints that the so-called Project IC has modified the state’s demographics and tainted the electoral roll.

Testifying at today’s second public hearing session by the parliamentary select committee (PSC) on electoral reform at the Federal Administrative Complex in Kota Kinabalu, several political parties called for the formation of a royal commission of inquiry (RCI)

Among the political parties testifying before the PSC led by its chairperson Maximus Jonhnity Ongkili today were Upko, LDP and PBS from the ruling coalition and PKR, DAP and PSM for the opposition.

Project IC was reportedly a concerted but covert operation in the 1980s and 1990s to grant identity cards to foreigners allegedly in an attempt to modify the demographics of Sabah in favour of Umno.

Sabah PKR committee member Dr Chong Eng Leong(left), who said that aside from an RCI, those who had obtained citizenship through questionable means should be reviewed.

“If you ask anybody - families, restaurant owners, plantation owners - if they’ve employed foreigners who have now become bumiputera citizens, all of them have this experience," said the former PBS politician.

Chong, who in the 1999 general election was successful in his petition to declare the election results of the Likas state seat null and void due to a questionable electoral roll, spoke at length about the repercussions of the covert operation.

He was among the key figures who exposedProject IC in 2006, during the Parliamentary Select Committee on Integrity hearing in Sabah.

‘Voter growth exceeds population growth’

Giving an example, Chong said Sabah’s local-born population grew by approximately 120,000 between 1951 and 1960 but the number of voters in the 1999 electoral roll for those born between 1952 and 1960 grew by 150,000.

“If 80 percent of the 120,000 Sabah-born IC holders are registered voters, Sabah-born voters should be well below 100,000... Why are there 150,000?”

He further pointed out Sabah’s unnatural population growth rate, saying if it had

“Our population was two-thirds that of Sarawak, but now it is the other way round.” followed Sarawak’s growth rate, the state should now have a population of 1.617 million instead of the whopping 2.354 million in 2010.

He added that despite the Election Commission (EC) announcing that it expunged over 80,000 names from the electoral roll following the Likas fiasco, a large part still remained in the electoral roll until today.

“They said all the phantom voters were gone, but when I did my research, they were still there, only 20,000 were expunged... Two years later they reinstated some 6,500 names,” he said.

BN parties: Truth in Project IC claim

Echoing this was BN component PBS Youth deputy chief Webley Disim, who said that his party was prepared to hand over a list of identity card numbers that are questionable.

“We do not deny the reports by NGOs that there is clear and solid evidence that there are questionable identity card numbers in the electoral roll.

“The EC must coordinate with the National Registration Department (NRD) and remove these names because they are illegal voters, they obtained their identity cards under the table,” he said.

Also in agreement was another representative from a BN component party, LDP secretary-general Teo Chee Kang, who called for a re-registration of voters in the state.

“There are just too many criticisms and accusations against the electoral roll... We believe in order to handle this problem once and for all, we are proposing re-registration of voters.

“They must come forward to show concrete documentation evidence that they are Malaysian Sabahans and for that matter, birth certificates are very important.”

Chairperson: Mighty task ahead

However, when Maximus pointed out that it was a “mighty task” for the authorities to prove an individual was not a genuine citizen, Teo insisted that the onus of proof should be on the individual.

“As far as I know from my legal experience, he who asserts must prove... It is next to impossible to prove a negative.”

Meanwhile, Upko secretary-general Wilfred Madius Tangau took to task ministers and deputy ministers who denied the existence of Project IC.

“Even though accusations have been made in the open, books have been written, but the people involved have not come out and defended themselves.

"As long as there is no RCI to investigate whether this happened or otherwise, the electoral list will be viewed as unclean,” he said.

‘Electoral roll should be tested in court’

Adding on, Sabah DAP secretary Edwin Bosin criticised the government decision not to allow the electoral roll to be challenged in court following the Likas petition.

“This is unfair, DAP in Sabah wants to see this ruling reviewed and rectified to give a legal opportunity for a remedy.”

Also in the DAP delegation was Sabah state chairperson Jimmy Wong, who called on the state assembly including PBS to support a motion to ask the federal government to set up an RCI into Project IC.

To this, Maximus, who is a PBS member, said his party had made a similar suggestion in 1990 but the RCI was not set up.

“Before, PBS was in the opposition, so I understand that. At that time the federal government may not take notice of your motion. So now, I hope Barisan Nasional in Sabah will make a stand,” countered Wong.

SAPP: Tackle 'money politics'

Meanwhile, SAPP president Yong Teck Lee, who arrived with a delegation of some 20 supporters, went on the offensive during the hearing. While also calling for an RCI into Project IC, Yong complained about alleged vote buying during the Batu Sapi by-election, during which he was a candidate.

“You should know, you handled the operation there (during the by-election),” said Yong.

To this, Maximus quipped: “I couldn't see all that, Batu Sapi is a large area, how can I know everything?”

While declaring that the genuine use of indelible ink would mean the BN would lose 20 of 60 state seats in Sabah, Yong queried it would also mean that BN would be the sole party with an ‘antidote’ to wash out the ink for multiple voting.

Maximus, however assured that the committee would personally test the ink before they provide any recommendations.

A total of 12 political parties, organisations and individuals testified at the hearing today.

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